Today three media powerhouses—Comcast, NBCUniversal and Twitter—announced a partnership that aims to better connect Twitter users with television viewing.
Twitter is currently the leading social platform for conversation surrounding television shows.In the second quarter of 2013, 19 million unique people in the U.S. composed 263 million Tweets about live TV, according to Nielsen’s Twitter TV Ratings report.
The new media partnership is poised to capitalize on this trend by launching a feature that allows viewers to control their television experience directly from a tweet, as well as introducing new advertising structure. All sides view this as the first real test for Twitter to see if the social media platform can actually drive viewership numbers directly.
Comcast’s “See It” will give Xfinity TV customers the ability to access television shows, movies and sports directly from a tweet. A See It button appearing in tweets from NBCUniversal programs will allow users to tune to live TV or start a show on demand on their set-top box, tune in to a show online or on their mobile device, set a DVR recording, set a reminder or buy tickets for a theatrical release through Fandango.
The feature will roll out exclusively with NBCUniversal programming, but will integrate with other video distribution partners, television networks and websites in the coming months.
NBCUniversal and Twitter are also working on a new advertising partnership that will enable advertisers to expand their TV and digital sponsorships to Twitter, giving advertisers access to Twitter’s promoted platform.
Twitter’s television partnership comes on the heels of last week’s IPO.
